[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-25855]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 19, 1994]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425]

 

Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Municipal 
Electric Authority of Georgia, Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 1 
and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2, regarding annual exercise of the 
emergency plan to Georgia Power Company (GPC or the licensee), for the 
Vogtle Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Dalton, 
Georgia.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption would allow a one-time schedular exemption 
from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2 
which states that each licensee at each site shall annually exercise 
its emergency plan. By letter dated July 21, 1994, the licensee 
requested a schedular exemption from the requirement for the Vogtle 
Power Station, based upon a request from the State of Georgia and local 
governments, to delay the exercise from July 27, 1994, to January 11, 
1995, because of the flood disaster in Georgia.
    The licensee had planned to conduct a full-participation exercise 
involving the States of Georgia and South Carolina and local response 
organizations on July 27, 1994. The licensee requested that an 
exemption be granted because the State of Georgia requested to delay 
the 1994 annual exercise from July 27, 1994, to January 11, 1995. The 
request to move the exercise date was originated by the Georgia 
Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) because they would be unable to 
participate on July 27 as GEMA personnel were required to respond to a 
federally-declared flood disaster in South Georgia. This proposed delay 
will prevent Vogtle from meeting the annual requirement to exercise the 
Vogtle emergency plan as specified in Appendix E to 10 CFR 50, and 
therefore, GPC requested a schedular exemption.
    The previous emergency preparedness exercise at Vogtle was 
successfully conducted on August 4, 1993, and no violations, deviations 
or exercise weaknesses were identified. Offsite participation was 
limited to receiving Emergency Notification messages. A joint plume and 
ingestion exposure pathway exercise involving the States of Georgia and 
South Carolina and the four local governmental agencies was conducted 
on May 19, 1992.
    The licensee had scheduled, planned and coordinated the 1994 
exercise with participating Federal, State, and local agencies for mid-
July. The scope and objectives, and the final scenario documentation 
for the July 1994 exercise were submitted to the NRC on April 14, 1994, 
and May 17, 1994, respectively, which is within the time frames 
established for their submittal in support of a July 1994 exercise.
    The schedule for future exercise will not be affected by this 
exemption. GPC has stated it will conduct the previously scheduled 1995 
exercise the week of July 19, 1995, as planned. The licensee states 
that concurrence for the proposed date of January 11, 1995, has been 
received from FEMA, NRC Region II, and the affected State and local 
agencies. FEMA confirmed its support for the revised exercise date on 
September 1, 1994.
    Based upon a review of the licensee's request for an exemption from 
the requirement to conduct an exercise of the Vogtle emergency plan in 
1994, the NRC staff finds that the underlying purpose of the regulation 
will not be adversely affected by the rescheduling of the July 27, 
1994, exercise to January 11, 1995. The effective response capability 
demonstrated by the licensee during the 1993 emergency preparedness 
exercise, the activities in preparation for the 1994 exercise, 
including a table top exercise with the States and counties and the 
readiness of the licensee's emergency preparedness program as reflected 
in its SALP rating and the most recent inspection report, provide 
assurance that the resources and personnel necessary for proper 
emergency response are in place to respond to a nuclear emergency at 
the Vogtle site. Thus, an exercise in 1994 is not necessary to achieve 
the underlying purpose of the rule, and the requested exemption from 
the requirement in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F, to defer 
the performance of an exercise of the Vogtle emergency plan until 
January 11, 1995, will not adversely affect the overall state of 
emergency preparedness at the Vogtle site.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption is needed because the Georgia Emergency 
management Agency (GEMA) was required to respond to a federally-
declared flood disaster in South Georgia at the time of the scheduled 
annual emergency exercise.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC staff evaluation of the proposed exemption from 10 CFR 50, 
Appendix E, Section IV. F.2, indicates that the granting of the 
proposed exemption will not involve any measurable environmental 
impacts since the exemption deals with the exercise of the licensee's 
emergency plan. Plant configuration and operations are not changed. 
Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological or nonradiological environmental impacts associated with 
the proposed exemption.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. The principal alternative to the action would be to deny the 
request. Such action would not enhance the protection of the 
environment and would result in diversion of plant resources from 
addressing important health and safety issues.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This exemption from the scheduled exercise on July 27, 1994, does 
not reduce the use of resources since the schedule for future exercises 
will not be affected by this exemption. The licensee has stated it will 
conduct the previously scheduled 1995 exercise the week of July 19, 
1995, as planned. Thus, the requested exemption would provide only 
temporary relief from the requirement to conduct an annual exercise.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The NRC staff consulted with the Georgia State official regarding 
the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had 
no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes 
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the 
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission has 
determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
proposed action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed exemption, see the 
licensee's letter dated July 21, 1994, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the local 
public document room located at the Burke County Library, 412 Fourth 
Street, Waynesboro, Georgia 30830.

    Dated at Rockville, this 13th day of October 1994.
Herbert N. Berkow,
Director, Project Directorate II-3, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-25855 Filed 10-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M